Speech transcripts of the oration’s keynote presentations are available in other formats. Please contact us for details.
Audio transcripts are only available for the 2011, 2009 and 2007 orations.
2011
Human Rights: Sword, Shield or Just Symbolism? - Larissa Behrendt with David Marr - 8 October, 2011
2009
Freedom of speech and its limits - Dr Katharine Gelber - 11 July, 2009
2009 Mitchell Oration transcript
2007
Are human rights the past or the future for Australia? - Professor Hilary Charlesworth - 7 July, 2007
2007 Mitchell Oration transcript
2005
Equal Opportunity at home and abroad - Prof Julian Disney - 10 July, 2005
2005 Mitchell Oration transcript
2003
Dialogue or Monologue – Human Rights in Australia - John von Doussa - 23 November, 2003
2003 Mitchell Oration transcript
2002
The future of Human Rights Globally - Mary Robinson - 11 November, 2002
2002 Mitchell Oration transcript
2001
Justice and Revenge: The Lessons of Sept 11 - Magistrate Geoffrey Robertson QC - 1 November, 2001
2001 Mitchell Oration transcript
2000
The Art of Justice - Professor Peter Sellars - 1 November, 2000
2000 Mitchell Oration transcript
1999
Ageing Triumphantly - Gary Andrews - 1 November, 1999
1999 Mitchell Oration transcript
1998
Human Rights and Human Wrongs - Alice Tay - 30 October, 1998
1998 Mitchell Oration transcript
1997
The pleasing myth of Egalitarian Australia - Hugh Mackay - 10 October, 1997
1997 Mitchell Oration transcript
1996
Thirty Years On, Do We Need a Bill of Rights? - Frank Brennan - 20 September, 1996
1996 Mitchell Oration transcript
1995
Equal Opportunity: The Next Twenty Years - Honourable Justice Catherine Branson - 6 October, 1995
1995 Mitchell Oration transcript
1994
Women, Citizenship and the Law in the coming century - Elizabeth Evatt - 23 September, 1994
1994 Mitchell Oration transcript
1993
Whither Australia? Shaping the Future of our nation - Reverend Peter Hollingworth - 8 October 1993
1993 Mitchell Oration transcript
1992
Human rights & Aborigines: Time for re-appraisal - Magistrate Pat O'Shane - 21 August 1992
1992 Mitchell Oration transcript
1991
Human Dignity for all: A pie in the sky? - Sir Ronald Wilson - 20 September 1991
1991 Mitchell Oration transcript
1990
In the eye of the law: The Jurisprudence of Equality - Honourable Justice Mary Gaudron - 24 August 1990
1990 Mitchell Oration transcript
1989
(Inaugural Oration)
Looking Back... Looking Forward - Dame Roma Mitchell - 11 October 1989
"In this address I have been invited to look back and to look forward. Sometimes, when I stand rooted in the present and survey the situation, I see all the areas in which there is much to be done to ensure their appropriate human rights to all Australians and I find myself inclined to think that we have not made great progress. But, when I look back over my more than fifty years experience in the legal profession, I realize that the advances have been tremendous. That does not mean that those of us who are willing to carry the banner for human rights can afford to relax; but it is only by looking back that we appreciate what has been gained, and it has been gained mainly as a result of legislation and the education programmes which have ensued."
Click to download inaugural Mitchell Oration transcript (PDF format)